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Published On May 3, 2006
POLICY
Blood Count
The need for—and dearth of—one precious commodity.
2
Seconds that pass until another American needs a transfusion
4,500,000
Number of American lives saved each year by transfusions
48
Gallons of blood an American could donate if she began giving at age 17 and gave every 56 days until reaching age 76
5
Estimated annual percentage of eligible Americans who donate
500,000
Number of Americans who donated in the days following the September 11 attacks
29,000,000
Number of units of blood components transfused in 2001 (a single donation can be divided into plasma, platelets and red blood cells)
2
Times as likely heart patients are to die after a transfusion to treat blood loss or anemia as heart patients who do not receive a transfusion, possibly because of such problems as artery disease aggravated by the transfusion.
Dispatches
COVID-19 On Purpose One sure-fire way to test vaccines and treatments is to deliberately infect volunteers. Once unthinkable, the idea is quickly gaining steam.
Flash Radiotherapy Is (Finally) on the Way Since the 1960s, the dream of ultra-fast high dose radiation promised better cancer treatment with fewer side effects. Will the reality measure up?
A Pandemic of Sitting Around? More time on the couch—the byproduct of stay-at-home measures—carries its own danger. The “exercise sprint” and other workarounds may save us.
The Autoimmune Whodunnit Autoimmune diseases are on the rise. The hunt is on to find their causes—including bacteria that may trigger the body to pick a fight with itself.
How Do You Measure Mindfulness? A calmer brain can lead to a healthier body. Researchers are beginning to pinpoint just where those benefits are coming from.
A Corner Turned for Crohn’s Disease? A milestone vaccine will soon move forward in clinical trials. But does its target—the MAP bacterium—actually play a role in the condition?
The New Vaccines: A Visual Primer More than a hundred COVID-19 vaccines are in development, and many use new technologies never tried on a grand scale. Here’s how each is supposed to work.
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